Bermuda Conference Will Deal with Refugee Problem, Not with Rescuing Jews in Nazi Lands

April 15, 1943

WASHINGTON (Apr. 14)

The Anglo-American conference on refugees which opens in Bermuda on Monday, will not deal with the problem of rescuing Nazi victims in occupied countries, but will restrict its discussions to the problem of the refugees who have succeeded in leaving Nazi-countries and who are at present in Spain, Portugal and Switzerland, it was learned here today.

The conference, it is expected, will also discuss the possibility of bringing out of Bulgaria 30,000 Jews whom the Bulgarian authorities are reported to be willing to permit to leave the country. Palestine visas for 4,000 Bulgarian Jewish children and 500 adults have already been secured, but transportation difficulties have held up their departure.

It is anticipated that the participants at the Bermuda conference will recommend to their respective governments that guarantees be given Switzerland concerning the maintenance of the approximately 12,000 refugees who have found a haven there. At the same time, the conference is also expected to find ways and means of enabling approximately 20,000 refugees in Spain to emigrate to oversea countries. A large proportion of these refugees are Frenchmen.

The problem of removing the 30,000 Jews in Bulgaria in order to prevent their deportation to Nazi-held Poland is expected to be discussed in light of the negotiations now under way with Turkey and Egypt to give temporary asylum to these Jews.

Preparations for the departure of the American delegation to the Bermuda Conference were completed today, while dispatches from Bermuda stated that the English delegation has already arrived there. Well informed circles here today again emphasized that no exagerrated hopes should be placed on the outcome of the conference, especially because of its “exploratory nature.”

It was also emphasized here today that the Conference will not discuss the question of sending food to people in Nazi-occupied countries.